Brands can truly connect with audience through right advertising on audio: Arjun Kolady
Kolady, Head of Sales, Spotify India, talks about the growth of the company over the years and how marketers can amplify their connections with the help of audio
Connected. The one word that defines the relationship between audio and listeners. There has been much conversation around people turning to audio, especially over the last couple of years. In fact, a study from 2021 showed that nearly 80% of global audiences turned to digital audio as a tool to combat screen fatigue. Over time, audio has become more prevalent as a medium that connects people to themselves, and to the world around them.
Reach them when they’re listening for self-care
Between 2020 and 2021, the listening on Spotify in India doubled for those between the ages of 15-44 years as they soundtracked the key moments during the day, including getting ready, working, and focusing/studying. As screen access and use continue to expand in 2022, we expect consumers to turn towards more screen-free moments offered by audio streaming, to unplug. In India, listeners are creating 150,000 playlists every single day on Spotify to accompany their moods and moments. With more listening, audio discovery is at an all-time high. Listeners are eager to experience new sounds, voices, and brands — and more and more content creators are expected to rise to the occasion.
Lean into what they’re sharing
Globally, 1 out of 2 Gen Z and millennial Spotify listeners shared more audio content with friends and loved ones as a means of staying in touch. Sound is being used as a means to bridge the physical gap by connecting through moments and culture. More than 2 billion tracks, shows, albums, and artists were shared via Spotify in 2021. Listeners also used sound to collectively tap into the zeitgeist by attending virtual shows and listening parties and gravitating to viral moments and artists. Playlists such as Viral Hits saw a nearly 2x increase in minutes played from 2020 to 2021, and consumers found their communities through music, and brands have the power to grow such communities through audio.
Be there when they’re listening together
As families spent more time together, audio also brought together listeners through communal listening. Smart speakers served as the centerpiece, serving up everything from dance party mixes to spiritual/religious music. In fact, more than 60% of parents said that they have been listening to music and podcasts through smart speakers so their households can listen together. As restrictions were lifted, friends and social groups listened together via a variety of devices, including cars, smart speakers, TV, and gaming consoles. Combine the fact that audio will continue to grow beyond being a mobile or desktop experience, with the insight that listeners expect branded experiences and two-way conversations from their connected devices, there’s an obvious opportunity for advertisers to engage with their audiences.
Listeners are immersed in the audio experience through a cycle of discovering new content, sharing what they love on social media and with friends and family, and streaming what others are listening to, in turn discovering more music and podcasts. Through the right advertising format on audio and relevant context for the listeners, brands can truly connect with their audience, when they’re connected to their moods and moments.
